Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I read decent reviews of this guitar on other sites and decided to give it a try. I ordered the JR-550-FEN version - same guitar but (allegedly) has a Fishman pickup installed. (Another online sells this same guitar branded Rogue. They are made by Axl in China.) I know my way around resonator guitars - I own a couple of National Resophonics, and a Regal tri-cone and Duolian have been playing more than 30 years. I have owned many similar guitars including a '33 National Duolian. I play mainly fingerstyle and slide and was looking for a lighter, softer sounding resonator. Sadly, I'm still looking.
Out of the box it looked okay. A little minor QC oversights but finish was decent. Most guitars come with cheap strings installed (the manufacturer assumes players will change to their favorite strings) but those on this guitar set a new low. Tarnished in the box, I never could get them to play in tune. New strings helped a little. The mahogany body has a thick, shiny finish but they wisely gave the neck a lighter satin finish. I like the old-fashioned slotted headstock and that the neck joins the body at the 12th fret like the old guitars. So far, so good...
The first and worst thing wrong was the pickup. 60 cycle hum blasted from the amp the instant I cracked the volume knob above zero. The "Fishman" pickup is shorted right out of the box! It could not have been tested at the factory. I have genuine Fishman pickups on other guitars and have never had a problem so I question if it's a real Fishman pickup. But I'm not about to take a brand new guitar apart to find out!
I sent the seller a note about this and they replied that they would contact the QC department of the factory and let me know what they said. So much for standing by what you sell! Caveat emptor!!!
Tuned up to Open D (6th, 5th, and 1st strings a full step low) the action at the 5th fret was uncomfortably high and really bad at the 7th fret. Tuned to concert pitch it was unplayable at or above the 7th fret. The JR-550 uses a National-style cone and biscuit bridge but the bridge saddle is much taller than needed. If you are patient and know how it's not terribly difficult to sand it down but, because the strings pass through the cover plate, getting it right is a tedious process.
The neck is reasonably straight and the body-neck angle isn't bad so the terrible action out of the box is poor design and/or QC. Other Johnson owners tell me the best thing they did was replace the cone with one from National. The 9.5" National cone comes with a bridge that uses a thinner, stiffer biscuit which makes the action lower and the tone better. I wasn't expecting the quality of a National but the stock action was worse than expected.
The tone is okay but not as rich or as loud as you would expect from a resonator. It's also much less "woody" sounding than a Dobro but that may have more to do with the biscuit bridge instead of the spider bridge and inverted cone on wood body Dobro's.
If you want a light resonator, only play slide (i.e., never make a chord above the 3rd fret), and get a great deal this may not be a bad guitar for you. If you get one for next to nothing and are after a cool-looking "wall hanger" then go for it. But if you actually want to play the thing I strongly recommend you try one before ordering online. I have played metal body resonators (single- and tri-cone) made in the same factory and they were passable. This guitar leaves a lot to be desired.
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Johnson Bottle Slide Triolian Resonator GuitarThis wood-body resonator guitar is perfect for backyard bottle slide playing. With its slotted headstock and natural mahogany finish, it has the classic look and feel of the vintage Triolian guitars from the 1930's, without the marked up price! The larger body shape adds much to its traditional look and exceptional sound. Built with a mahogany top, back, sides, and neck and a hard maple biscuit bridge, this triolian really sings.The 9.5 hand-spun spiral Continental cone resonator provides this triolian with incredible projection and responsive tone. The JR-550 also featuresa rosewood fretboard and a 12th fret neck joint, as well as a modified F-hole soundboard. Add to that inlaid M.O.P position markers, a nickelplated coverplate and tailpiece, and you've got a new triolian that leads in tone, features, and value.
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